As is known in the art, V-Engine, I4 and Diesel engines currently design unique gaskets for both the cylinder head and exhaust manifold. Both gaskets are separately manufactured, packaged, and shipped to engine assembly plants.
In accordance with the present invention, a gasket assembly for an internal combustion engine is provided having a combined cylinder head gasket and an exhaust gasket. The cylinder head gasket and the exhaust gasket have a common layer of gasket material. The gasket assembly is formed by stamping a cylinder head gasket portion for the engine in one region of a common layer of gasket material concurrently with stamping an exhaust gasket portion for the engine in an adjacent region of the common layer of material.
With such invention, an exhaust manifold gasket is formed as an integral appendage to a cylinder head gasket. The cylinder head gasket and the exhaust manifold gasket unit comprises a common layer of gasket base material, the cylinder head gasket having at least one additional layer of a different material bonded to the common gasket base material. The entire integrated gasket would be shipped as one piece to an engine plant and be installed prior to the cylinder head installation. At that point the exhaust manifold gasket would be a protruding appendage from the head deck joint. It could then: 1) be folded 90 degrees against the cylinder head exhaust face; or 2) be sheared from a perforation and installed against the cylinder head exhaust ports. Installation of the exhaust manifold would be conventional. The invention results in significant savings from supply base reduction, packaging, shipping, material handling.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.